A Second Chance
by Yemi Hikari
Summary: What happens when a Vixon is given a second chance in an unexpected way. Who else will get a second chance of life in the process? And could this actually happen in Redwall canon? Probabbly not, which is why it is AU.
1. Dark Magic

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Disclaimer – I do not own Redwall.

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Dark Magic

On the sea, as a storm was brewing that no one who was sane would wish to sail in. There was one ship that was sailing there, and the captain could easily be said to be a mad beast as he cared not for what happened as he felt that he had the luck to survive anything, even if the rest of his crew didn't.

The only reason that none of the crew had rebelled against the captain was that he was a huge weasel, his fur the color of sand. He used his weight and strength to bully those that were around him, making them feel inferior. He also searched out any power he could to make himself stronger.

That was why he had under his command a vixen and her daughters. To him, they made it so that he had more power then just strength and the ability to out think his enemy. To him, they added the element of being able to have control over the minds of everyone.

Saffron was a black colored vixen whose coat blended into the shadows. She was trained by her dead father to be an assassin. She had made her first kill, her own father, under the instruction of Hagen, the weasel captain. She was known among the sea beasts as being deadly and formidable, thus none wished to cross her path.

Sibyl was the second daughter, with a red coat that covered her body. Many of the crew compared her fur to the color of blood. Some said that her fur got redder each time she correctly predicted someone's death. It seemed very much that she had inherited her mother Sanja's gift of prophesy.

Out of all the three vixen daughters, Suna was the only one who didn't fit in with the blood thirsty family that had sworn its alliance to Hagen. She had apparently no great skills beyond being able to cook meals for the captain, but that accounted as a logical reason to keep her on, as she was able to cook better then the galley cooks. This made it so that her mother and the weasel captain choose to keep her alive.

Aboard the _Musk Skull_, the crew was below deck, waiting out the storm on the huge ship. It was best to let the huge waves sweep the ship on its course then to battle against the winds, as they would tear the sails apart. Most ships would have found dry dock when they knew the storm was going to hit, but Hagen thought otherwise and insisted on not docking. This helped instill more fear among his crew.

Suna was carrying a tray of food to the captain through the dimly lit hallways of the ship. The torches left an odd glow on her fur and the wood. She knew that her family was up to something with the captain, but she had missed the first part of it as she had been busy preparing the food of the captain.

She saw the door to his cabin open and her two sisters step out, their fur gleaming in the torch light. Saffron just smiled an evil smile from her black muzzle; she had never been known as one to speak, and it was wondered by some behind her back how intelligent she was. Her other sister was the one to speak up. "What took the brown rat so long to come forward? We are about to begin and our lord is wanting for his food before we start."

Suna hurried forward with the food and through the door, not daring to look anyone in the face. She saw that there was a bank vole cowering in front of the weasel captain, who had his had in a steal gauntlet. He leaned forward and sounded into the ear of the good beast in a raspy voice. "Tell me again about this abbey in this land of yours. I wonder this land is worth anything."

"I tell you… sir… I have not said anything … not true. There… there really is a … a great stone building. It is said … it is said… that it has never been… never been defeated. There is some great… some great power… there. They say… they say it is a … a magical … magical sword."

"Sanja…" The weasel suddenly purred, putting on all his charm. He stroked a dagger at his side. "Would you be able to summon to me this power from this abbey? Much like you summoned to me this dagger that was considered the weapon of the dirt of our old land?"

"It wasn't hard to do that," A white vixen purred, stepping from the shadows.

"Depending on what the power is will make me decide whether or not to leave this land or conquer it, for if it is weak, I see no need in even staying. But if it is strong, the more I need to crush this land under this paw of mine. Begin Sanja."

The white vixen pushed forward a small table into the center and covered it with a cloth. She then laid a basket on top of the table. One each corner a candle was placed and the basket was filled with a foul smelling plant. She then sprinkled grayish water over everything from a small flask she kept at her side. She then began to hum to the storm outside.

_The storm of time brews outside  
__Let not the secret of the red stone hide  
__Bring to us the power that lies within  
__It matters not the level of din  
__It matters not the future to hold  
__We wish for the power ever so bold  
__My master asks and always gets  
__Even if what holds does not lets  
__What ever the power is to be  
__I tie this powers sanctity to me  
__And that of my blood family  
__Let us this power see  
__Take this power from the holder  
__Let this power belong to a new owner_

It was then that all the lights went out in the cabin, leaving all those inside in darkness.

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Author's note – This fanfics is going to be AU from the series. For one thing, it contains a supernatural element that would be there, but it helps to make the fic run its course. Second, well, you'll find out in the next few chapters exactly what I am trying to do. I am hoping to be somewhat different then everyone else.


	2. The Future

The Future

**The Future**

Friar Delbert hurried through the abbey grounds, to fasten the front doors shut. So much time had passed since the time of the warriors, or so the abbey and those in Mossflower came to call the time when the abbey had been full and bustling with good beasts, both of the order and not.

Now that the time had past, it took longer for the beasts in the woods to age to maturity. What used to take a season now took four turns of the seasons. All the good beasts were now living for longer periods of time. Delbert wondered if it had something to do with the fact that vermin had not been seen for two hundred turns of the seasons.

Speaking of turns of the seasons, it had been one hundred approximately since the abbey had an abbot or abbess. Since that time, the members of the order had been shrinking rapidly, leaving now only the friar and three other mice. All of them were old and beginning to feel the toll of time.

Friar Delbert arrived at the gate and was about to close it when he saw two figures appear from outside the gate. "Shelter for awhile brother? We'll close the gate and remain in the gatehouse until the storm is over and let you know so you can close the gate behind us when we leave."

The friar acknowledged them and nodded them inside. He opened the gatehouse and allowed the two visitors inside. They pulled back the hoods they were wearing and shook their paws on the mat. Delbert set his lamp down on the table. "Why do I have the feeling that you purposely came to speak about something, and the storm is just an excuse?"

"Well, a good excuse it is," The brown furred squirrel stated, sitting down in an old arm chair. "And I thing you have an idea what we are here to speak about."

"You know that Moss Town is not far from here, about two kleggs away, were supposedly that old church was." The mouse stated his hair grey from age.

"I know that town is there," The friar stated, stirring the fire.

"Then you know we've come to speak about the abbey and how it is starting to become run down, what with so few members of your order. It is dying, you could say, and should be taken over by the town." The mouse stated.

"So that you can use the grounds for a market place?" The friar stated.

"It would be the best thing for this place, there is no chance that you'll get any more members into the order. It is old fashioned." The squirrel stated. "Not to mention no one believes the idea that vermin exist any more."

"The answer is no…" The friar stated, picking up his lamp. "We'll find some way to succeed. We don't hold to the town's standards of every species for themselves and such divisions as you have."

"Such divisions… are not two of two different species here?" The mouse stated.

"Mayer of Moss Town, don't get me wrong, but I know it is just part of your strategy to take us over." The friar stated.

"It would take a miracle for the abbey to finally become populated like it was in the past." The squirrel stated.

"This abbey has had many miracles in its history. I wouldn't put it past the abbey to have another miracle." The friar stated.

"Tell me you don't believe those legends of the warriors." The mouse mocked, irritating the friar.

The chubby mouse turned to them. "It doesn't matter what I think… I believe that their will be a miracle."

The friar clicked the door shut behind him and hurried down the path toward the abbey building. The storm was still raging around and he slipped through the huge doors, closing it behind him. A couple of mice were putting out candles while another was writing down things on the paper.

"We had the mayor visit us again." The friar stated, his sandals click on the stone floor.

"When will he learn that we will keep the abbey open, no matter what?" The female mouse who was writing spoke up. Suddenly, the doors blew open, being weak from age and wear. The wind blew through, blowing out the candles. The mice found themselves in sudden darkness.

"Hurry, light the candles." The friar stated. One of the candles lit up and the mice stared into the face of a huge badger. She wore the green habit that was of their order. They glanced around and saw a few others in green habits. A mouse that was younger then the mice of the abbey stepper forward. It was obvious though that she was old in years. The friar stammered. "Who are you, ghosts?"

"You might say that, as we have for some reason been brought from our sleep in the Dark Forest. It is not of our doing, we really don't know the reasons for us being brought back to life." The mouse stated, looking around at the disrepair of the abbey.

"But who are you?" Friar Delbert asked, gulping as he did so.

"I was the former abbess, Abbess Germaine." The mouse spoke up. "I think that we need to speak about the matters at hand."

_Author's note – As one can see, one might be able to guess where this going. I knew before I wrote this that this wouldn't be some people's cup of tea, what with the odd way of doing it. The time frame is set two hundred after the last Redwall book, last being the last that will ever be written. Who knows what that will be. Also, I have a problem with checking the ages of characters in seasons, so that is why I changed it to being turns of the seasons._


	3. Aboard the Ship

Aboard the Ship

**Aboard the Ship**

The ship rocked back and forth in the darkness. The weasel sat at the edge of the wooden chair that he had been sitting in, waiting for his sword to appear. The first thing that happened was that a small, odd sound was heard. Sanja quickly lit one of the candles and all in the room looked at the basket. The weasel narrowed his eyes and spit in disgust.

"A baby mouse is the red stone fortress's power? There is no way that this land is worth anything. I thought that the weapon of power was a sword, not a … not an infant. Put the mouse over the side of the boat with the bank vole. They are both useless and their lives aren't worth anything."

Suna looked carefully at the basket, then opened her mouth. "Perhaps you could train him to be a warrior in your army? He is at the stage where he would be likely to be malleable."

All of the vermin looked at the brown vixen, frowning. Hagen glared at her, growling at her with venom. "Are you telling me, you are wanting to show kindness to one of the inferior species?"

"I am just saying, mother has never been wrong in her powers." The vixen stated, looking at the infant in the in the basket.

Sibyl narrowed her eyes. "It isn't mother that is wrong sister, it is that bank vole. He deceived us. There was no sword with power."

"I don't care how good you are at making food, vixen. Your statement of disloyalty is uncalled for." The weasel clicked his nails against the chair. "Put her over the side with the bank vole and runt. Use one of the boats to make sure that she doesn't pull over the edge one of the crew while we are sending them over board. No need to lose a useful beast in order to get rid of a trio of un-useful ones."

Saffron grabbed her sister's arm and they hauled them out the door and down the hall. Suna tripped up the stairs as she went up, her paws hitting the wooden stairs and getting splinters in them. She could hear the bank vole crying aloud, protesting what was happening to him.

The crew of the ship was called forth and a wooden boat was balanced on the edge. Suna was shoved in and the bank vole after her, his limbs tied to the wooden slats in the boat. Sibyl shoved the infant into the boat, Suna catching it as she did. The infant surprisingly made no sound.

Suna then felt the boat sliding over the edge. There was no where for any of them to escape. She grabbed at the wood and didn't let go. The water splashed around her and she hoped for something that would help her, but didn't know what would help her.

M

Mean while, in a mountain on the shore that was hollow inside and had been empty for some time suddenly had life stirring inside of it. A badger walked to the chamber and lit some old herbs. What was needed was to find out exactly what was going on, because nothing like this had ever happened in the lands around Mossflower.

After a bit, he stared at the etchings he had etched into the wall. He nodded his hand and set out to see his loyal hares that had also arrived back to life. His voice boomed out. "I need the female triplets to gather fresh supplies. The male triplets I need to go and look outside for hares or other beasts that are knowledgeable. If they wish to come, it is only if they so choose, with the hares. And… any other beast that wishes to come can too. As for you Buffheart… I have a special and very important mission for you."

_Author's Note – Finally, the three chapters I wished to have written before posting this story are written. I do hope you like. Feedback is defiantly wanted… what works and what doesn't. Please though, if it is about the improbability of this actually happening in canon, I already know it. But this idea has been tossing around for some time now._


	4. An Abbey's Abbess

**The Abbey's Abbess**

Germaine sat with the three mice that comprised what was left of the Abbey beasts, all of which were waiting for an answer to their question as to how the old ones had come back to living here. That was what the three mice were referring to her and Bella as. But the thing was, they were young again in comparison to these folks. At least Germaine was, one could never tell with Badgers until their stripes turned grey, and then they were really old.

While Germaine sat with the three mice, Bella had gone to see if any others had come back from the Dark Forest, where they had all been resting nicely. It concerned her greatly that such a thing had happened to them, but she was considering that perhaps their was a reason that it was allowed to happen.

"Ahh… Abbess Germaine…" Friar Delbert spoke up. "How is it that you've come to be alive again?"

"Alive again is a good question, but it is one that I have myself. What is it that has brought us back here? Another I have is, who has been brought back," Germaine said. She then added something else. "The title of Abbot or Abbess is reserved for one who is in a leadership position. Is there not an Abbot or Abbess currently of the Abbey?"

"Abbess Germaine, there is me, Friar Delbert, who is in charge of the food… and no more then what we have. Then there is Sister Karina and Sister Majium who are in charge of the infirmary and orchards respectfully,"

"I am no healer though," Sister Karina stated, speaking up, "My medicines, they are simple cold ones…"

"She is being humble as there are only colds pretty much to heal now…" Majium said, shaking her head. "She doesn't have to deal with all the fruit that goes to rot."

"Well, as a fellow healer, I should say one should be very grateful for not having anything else. I've seen war, plagues and more in my life time, I mean, my former life time… for some reason I wonder… will the wars come again… I certainly hope not." Germaine stated.

"Oh… and there is one other," Sister Karina said. "He likes to nap during storms, I can never figure out why. He's taken up the job of Cellar Hog, but we can't let those in Moss Town know he's here."

"Moss Town?" Germaine asked, confusion in her voice.

"Ahh, yes… there is a town not far from here now, since there are no longer any vermin attacks. They wish to take the Abbey from us, saying there is no way that a miracle would… happen." Friar Delbert said, an idea coming to his head.

"I wouldn't exactly call this a miracle," Germaine said, shaking her head. "Well, if it is, it is also a curse too."

"Collum, don't mention he's here," Sister Karina reiterated. "He's, well… he's a runaway from Moss Town who has become fed up with the system there."

"The system is repulsive and goes against what this Abbey has always believed in, that all beasts are equal. The mice run things, the squirrels are carpenters and the hedgehogs, and they turn the food stuff into trade stuff. Which is why Collum came to us… and he isn't a runaway anymore as he has made the legal turn of seasons to declare himself independent of his family."

"What about those poor moles! They are treated as if they are stupid and can't think! They are made to do all the demeaning labor!" Sister Karina whined, a few tears escaping her eyes.

"Well… look at the past… the labor we did was what suited us… but if the mole folk are really being demeaned like they are… that isn't good." Germaine said.

Friar Delbert shook his head. "It is much like what we saw from the time before Lord Brocktree united all of the good beasts to stand against another group. But the only difference is their educated in the way they do it. A backwards kind of education one might say."

"I can't believe that the times have come…" Germaine was saying, only to be interrupted by Bella coming in with some other beasts. "I found the Stickles and some other good beasts Abbess Germaine. I also ended up scaring away the mouse and squirrel that were sheltering in the gatehouse. They looked at me with great fear for some reason… like a vermin would and should to a badger."

"That's because no one has seen a badger in a long time," Majium said, shaking her head.

"Towels! I must go find tons of towels! Everyone is wet and will catch a cold!" Sister Karina said, hurrying off up the stairs. A couple of mice and a squirrel in habits nodded their heads and hurried to help her.

"What is the commotion coming up here?" said a small voice, peering groggily from the direction of the cellars. A hedgehog nose was the only thing visible to sight.

"Bella… how many do we count?" Germaine asked.

"Good deals of our Abbey Beasts, including the moles are here. But Skipper and Amber… they are no where to be found… so one has to wonder… and the younger Abbey Beasts… Abbess… Gonff, Young Dinny, Timballisto … even Martin… and at they age our Abbey Beasts are… that places them at the age of being Dibbuns… or infants."

"A search party then Abbess?" Friar Delbert asked.

"Well, I can't be Abbess again unless nearly the entire Abbey agrees… but… yes, a search of the outside of the Abbey is in order. But… it will be useless until the storm is finished." German said, a worried look on her face.

"Concidering that what now comprises the Abbey are beasts that have followed you, I think that everyone does agree for you to be Abbess," the Friar said, shaking his head that she wouldn't just accept the title. A cheer came up from the Redwallers. Germaine nodded her head in agreement to their decision.

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_Author's note – Well, there is chapter four of this fanfic. Thanks to the three reviewers that I have had so far. I am hoping this turns out well._


	5. TB in a Tree

**T.B. in a Tree**

Timballisto was trying to rest and sleep. The last physical thing he had felt was getting his lungs filled with that nasty mucus muck that had made it hard for him to breathe. Instead, what he felt was cold and wet, very wet. This caused the mouse to open his eyes, blinking back the sunlight as he did so. Confusion was on his mind, was he not supposed to be in the Dark Forest?

This caused Timballisto to try to stand up, which he found quite strange to do so. He steadied himself against a tree and found himself falling. He looked angrily at his hands, ready to let out a few choice words, only to stop as his eyes went wide and panic set in. The reason this was so was that he was no longer the size of an adult mouse, but he was the size he was when he climbed the cliff to get Luke's help.

Carefully he stood up, slowly regaining his composure as to how to stand on his smaller legs. The task of doing so wasn't an easy one to do, but it was something he _had _to do, for he hadn't a clue what was going on or what to do. He thought carefully of what would be the best solution and thought that Martin, being older then he was when he had run off from the caves, would be able to come up with something.

"Crimey…" Timballisto said aloud to himself and no one in particular. "Martin is, if in the same predicament, only a babe of…"

Horror struck him and he looked around for any other who was struck as odd in this entire region. He defiantly had to be in Mossflower, as it was what he remembered the place being, and not the seashore. He bit his lip as he realized he was only a few feet down the road from a group of buildings and those who lived in the village were starting to mill about.

"Hey… Dibbun, what are you doing away from your mother's side?" an older mouse said, walking up to him. This caused Timballisto to grab a hold of the tree. Where in Hells Gates had the town come from! This wasn't something that could have come to exist with in a few seasons of his death. It was more like hundreds upon hundreds. "Well… you don't look like your one of the village mice."

Timballisto suddenly let out a squeak as he was grabbed by the back of his sleeveless habit. Being this small was seriously disadvantageous to the situation. "Let me see now, I should take you to the town orphanage, shouldn't I?"

Timballisto had no clue what a town orphanage was, but he knew he didn't want to end up at one… it sounded like it had something to do with orphans. So, Timballisto began to struggle, but to no avail. That was when something popped up under the other mousse foot, causing him to drop T.B. He landed on his bottom and found him self looking at a baby mole.

"Dinny," Timballisto asked, receiving a squeak from the mole babe, which T.B. took as a yes, as the mole couldn't speak yet, but could defiantly dig right at birth as all moles do. He then saw Dinny glance at the tree and then pop down. Timballisto let out a sigh and hurried to the tree and began to climb it's branches.

"You little scallywag! Leave the climbing to the carpenters," the mouse said, placing his paws on his hips.

"Blehh! I am a carpenter! I can make Timballistos, which is how I got my name," T.B. said, sticking his tongue out at the mouse. He then felt like banging his head against the tree, because that was a very Dibbunish thing to do. His mind was then changed when he saw Dinny popping up and down in different holes, driving the mouse insane.

"Hah, hah! Good job Dinny! Who!" T.B said, almost falling off the branch he was sitting on.

"Come down here this instant! Do I need to call the town mayor?" the mouse said.

"Mayor? I do not listen to the Mayor. I listen to abbess Germaine!" Timballisto stated. "That or Martin the Warrior!"

"You little retch! How dare you! You know that those tales of the warriors are all make believe. No mouse could ever have been as great as a Badger Lord, and badgers don't run the land anymore."

"I know Martin… he's an even better warrior then his father Luke!" Timballisto snapped. He wasn't quite sure where the next words came from. "Don't talk about my brother that way."

"Martin the Warrior is not your brother," the mouse yelled, calling attention to the scene.

"Not by blood he isn't. Martin and I grew up together, so we're as good as brothers." A thought occurred to him that horrified him. "If you _have_ him in that stinky orphanage or whatever it is, I'll make you pay."

"You little scamp," a female mouse spoke up. "You're such a nuisance."

Yeah thought Timballisto. I am talking before I think all the way through, much like a Dibbun is. That was when the wild idea of jumping from the tree to the ground came to his head, causing him to bang his head on the trunk. Not only was being a Dibbun again getting to him, but spending time with Martin's friend the mouse-thief wasn't helping either.

"I am not coming down… my name is Timballisto!" he suddenly roared, as loud as a Dibbun voice could go. This was defiantly the most embarrassing day in his life… or second life he thought.

"Please tell me that Dibbun isn't playing at being Martin the Warrior's friend Timballisto?" an older mouse said, coming forward, followed by another.

"I am…" Timballisto soon found himself being grabbed from behind. He had forgotten that squirrels could climb trees, even though these mice didn't seem like they would. He let out another sigh, turning to see who had him.


	6. A Drift

**A Drift**

Suna remembered the boat being pushed over the side into the storm, the bank vole hunkering down next to her, nervous about the teetering of the boat over the edge, shaking as he did so. She remembered holding the infant mouse close to her, the boat tipping then the rush of air through her lungs as the boat fell over the side.

Somehow, the boat landed with its bottom towards the water, something she was grateful for. Because Hagen had wanted the boat used to limit the loss of _able _bodied vermin who were possibly still loyal, they didn't end up in the water. If that had been the case, the infant would have been dead, as there was no way in this storm that she would have been able to keep it's head above the water. The bank vole would have also been dead as his chains would have sunk him.

"All I wanted was to live," the bank vole suddenly sobbed. "I didn't do anything to be taken away from my family."

"I don't believe I mind being away from my family, "Suna said, her voice barely audible above the storm.

"That's because you're a vermin!" the bank vole stammered out. "You're going to kill and eat me and that infant when we get to land."

Suna refused to answer, as she didn't want to go and yell over the storm. She also had to hold on for dear life, clutching the small bundle close to her. Up and down they went, the water splashing over the edge. The salt was upon her tongue, making her thirsty for fresh water.

It was then that the sun suddenly began to show through the clouds, setting into the West and the waves began to stop coming over the edge. She sat up and glanced around, noting that the land was to the East. She placed the infant in a nook behind her and took one of the oars that had miraculously stayed with her. She began to row toward land. "If you want to live to set your feet on land, I suggest you row too."

"As if you would spare my life," the bank vole muttered, but out of fear began to row too. They rowed for awhile, their arms becoming tired. Suna had a small flask at her side of water, and uncapped it.

"I'd offer you some, but there is something more important right now for it," she commented.

"Yes! Yourself," the bank vole snapped, only to see her pick the infant back up and dribble some of the water into its mouth. He glanced away, ashamed of himself, but still not trusting her.

"What is your family like?" she asked, putting the babe back in the nook where it couldn't roll away and get hurt.

"So you can find and eat them too?" the bank vole said, not to happy. But his tongue began to wag, much like he had in telling the story of the great treasure. "My family is among a group of bank voles, my mother and father… they were quite happy, until Caston the slaver came. We didn't think vermin existed anymore."

"That vermin didn't exist anymore?" the vixen asked.

"Obviously you do… well, Caston took us and gave some to your person. We lived one the river Moss, just minding our own business."

"Caston… this slaver…"

"He is…" the bank vole stated. "He is your kind, a fox… which isn't surprising. He has built a holding at the river Moss's waterfalls."

"So… why did the spell summon the babe instead of the sword?" the vixen asked.

"Because… I don't rightly know. All the tales I've heard of the Abbey… they said that the sword was what swayed the battle. Forged from the stars they say, with great power to drive back the foe. But… I guess it is just as they said, my grand mum's tales… they're just old wives tales told to put Dibbun's asleep."

"So… you haven't a clue who the babe could be?" the vixen asked.

"No… some babe from Moss Town I guess," the bank vole stated. "The abbey is practically falling apart, so none of the old beast would have a child."

"I see land… what is that odd plant with the two leaves sticking up?" the vixen said.

"What… I can't see anything, oh… that looks like a beast actually… one of the sand hares that are part of the Salamandrastron area," he glanced at the vixen. "I believe I'll be safe now and not have to worry about you once we get to shore… unless you kill me before we get there and head further along the shore. Legends say hares are perilous beasts."

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Author's note – Yes, I am bringing back a good deal from Martin's era… plus some, including some villains, but… since there are some complications, I'll be placing in a different villain and different hero, but the villain isn't going to be the one introduced at the beginning either, considering how young T.B. is. I didn't want to spoil telling it in earlier chapters as I REALLY wanted it to be a surprise.

_And thanks to the one reviewer for pointing out the odd sentence I had in here. :)_


	7. Skipper

Author's note – At the point of writing this chapter, my reviews went up from nine kind reviewers to ten-thousand due to the Redwall spammer, then back down to zero

_Author's note – At the point of writing this chapter, my reviews went up from nine kind reviewers to ten-thousand due to the Redwall spammer, then back down to zero. I hope it is temporary, but if you don't see your previous reviews there, that is why. I do apologize for the inconvenience and hope you enjoy the next chapter._

**Skipper**

Once, he had been known as Warthorn, the Skipper of his Otter tribe, leading them through the troubles of the Mossflower war. He had a lot on his mind now, as he knew he was dead and he shouldn't be alive. Also, while the Holt was still there, the cave had been uninhabited for many years, thus his crew had to clean out the entire place.

He watched as the kits played in the water, splashing about. He recalled that there was a time when he had scent all the young and old away from Mossflower to stay with his cousin. It truly had taken time for anyone to recover from the war, but his holt had taken longer as there had been the problem of making what had been a completely warrior holt area into a family holt.

While they had considered the Abbey home after the war, they still needed to have a more environmentally safe then the abbey to raise the kits. He needed some way to get word about what was going on and the _historical changes. _The ways it had changed over time were important. Glancing into the deep pool of water, he frowned, as he was much younger then when he had met Martin, and Gonff had to be even younger then him.

He had sent other otters out to search for the ones they knew, and possible enemies. By gagging his age, he told his crew to look for certain 'friends' to be the age of Dibbuns and to be wary of changes in the community that they were not used to. He had no clue that one of those changes to Mossflower was the addition of Mosstown.

Suddenly, the otter chieftain was surprised as something lunged up and at his head, latching on. He reached up and forced the furry bundle off him, holding it away from him at forelegs length. His mouth was hanging down in surprise and his head was dripping wet, which was not comfortable, he would rather be completely wet or not at all. Hanging upside down from his forepaws was an otter kit.

"Matey, why did you just attack me?" he asked the little kit, who bared her teeth at him. This kit was defiantly not one of the kits that were part of his Holt. This little one was a complete stranger was spitting mad… but not the kind of mad that was from insanity. Something was bothering the kit.

"Aye ain't you matey! I ain't, I ain't!" the kit rattled off, spitting as she did so. She struggled to get lose.

"Fine then… what was the reason you attacked me?" the otter asked, still not letting the kit go.

"I be Corai of the Calloon Holt!" the little otter said. The Skipper flipped her over.

"Now… let me ask this. What has the Calloon Holt have to do with this?" the Skipper asked the Dibbun. She looked to be three seasons old… later the Skipper would say she was three turns of the seasons.

"Ghosts are bad things!" the little otter commented. "The rest of Calloon Holt is gone… gram says so! Thus you have come back as ghosts!"

"We aren't the Holt Calloon… we really never had a name… but I guess you could call us ghosts," the otter commented. "But we defiantly aren't dead.

"No! Your going to hurt Gram… she can't run away!" the little otter commented.

"Bulla, please go and search for this young one's gram," the Skipper said.

"I'm sorry that she got threw. When I looked at our kits swimming, I thought she was one of ours," the female otter said as she dived into the water. She came back after awhile, helping another otter to swim through the water. They surfaced and the old otter looked at Skipper carefully.

"Your strangers here… yet your not…" the old otter said.

"Gram!" the little otter said, suddenly biting down on Skippers paw, causing him to let her go. "Don't hurt Gram!"

The otter kit hurried over to where this Gram was and scurried into her arms. The old otter laughed. "Child… I heard you called them ghosts… they are very much alive."

However, Corai glared at Skipper and in turn he glared at her. He then turned to Gram. "Where exactly has the holt of yours gotten to?"

"Where has it gotten too?" the otter commented. "Almost all the adults were killed by Calloon and his crew. The kits were taken away. I hid myself and Corai, we were lucky… the few adults left buried the dead and went after him… that was a turn of the seasons ago… and, this place, its considered a dead place, as the old holt that was connected to Redwall just died out here."

"That would be us, you might say," Skipper commented. "What news of Redwall Abbey… it is still a place of sanctuary. Why is it that no one has come to stop them… Redwall always stood against things like this."

"With a half dozen or less old ones?" the otter said, shaking her head. "They aren't able to fight anymore… but if you are from the past, then the abbey will be filled."

"They're ghosts," Corai muttered, leaving the old otter's lap, diving into the water.

"That kit… legend speaks of the warrior that walked the halls of Redwall after death… a warrior mouse, an odd creature they said, that helped to lead the victories of the Abbey. Thus I can't agree with her… ghosts being a bad thing. I also think that you being here is a good thing. Just be forewarned… she won't listen to a Skipper who isn't her father," the otter said, shaking her head. "I am quite sure that he isn't alive either."


	8. Otter Scouts

_Author's note – Thanks to Jade TeaLeaf as the reviewer is called at this point in time, my reviews are back up. This person had reviewed before, so I know for a fact that one can review the chapters they've already reviewed. Also, thanks to Jade TeaLeaf for such thorough reviews too!_

_Anyways, Jade TeaLeaf asked for an explanation for the Holts being dead from last chapter. Skipper's tribe, which would have been come to be known as possibly Holt Redwall due to it's association with the Abbey, disappeared due to old ones dying out and the young ones leaving for other Holts because the Abbey beasts no longer needed them. It remained well talked about though because they dispersed to other Holts._

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Otter Scouts

Germaine and Bella were walking around the Abbey grounds, supervising the repairing and mending of the Abbey grounds. A scouting party had been sent out to look for their _Dibbuns_, for the Abbess was concerned about the fact that they hadn't shown up at Redwall abbey. The walked over to the orchards to talk with the Stickles, who had taken control of gathering the orchard supplies and mending the devices they stored the food in.

A young hedgehog was helping them, Germaine recognized him as not being from her Abbey Beasts, which meant he was young Collum. He was excitedly helping the Stickles with the gathering of supplies, not to mention happily discussing with Ben Stickle which fruit would be best used to make new drinks, which would be best for storage and which would be best for storage.

"I like the freshness of these," Collum commented, "But these are so hard that they'd be good for a long aged ale or the fertilization heap."

"Your right," Ben said, suddenly noticing the Abbes. "I know our young hogs aren't likely to appear anytime soon, but Abbess, this young one is a very bright young hog. Not to mention, he was smart about getting away from that town."

"I am glad to hear that things are going well," the Abbess commented, smiling at them.

"Would go much better if we had more things that didn't need mending," Goodwife spoke up. "The only thing not needing mending are the kegs, thanks to Collum here. He fixed them as soon as he moved in."

"Aye… Abbess… if Mosstown gets a hold of any of your beasts… you might have a small squabble to get them back," Collum commented, looking at her worriedly. "I mean, they have an odd sense of ideals. Gramps told me it didn't used to be that way at first, but… ehh… it has become that way."

"We'll come to that Collum when we do… thank you for your concern though," the Abbess said, reassuring the young hog that things would be alright and left him to get back to his task.

The next place was to go see Old Dinny, who was with his crew. "Burr aye Abbess, this 'ere wall be needen lots of fixen."

"That is a shame… it means we'll need to get a quarry party going and the building of rafts to ship it up and down the river," the Abbess said, shaking her head.

"Burr aye… if Mathen wurr 'ere, uz'n wudd 'ave nay problems," the mole said, slapping the stone, referring to the fact that the warrior had a good eye for architectural detail.

"Yes… but he would be the size of a Dibbun…" the Abbess commented. "Or an infant… so we'll have to do this our selves."

She then went to see how the front doors were faring, only to have a mouse shake her head at her. "We're in need of otters and squirrels Abbess, to haul the wood we need to fix this mess. It would take Miss Bella to long to haul it herself."

"Well," said Bella, glancing down the road. "I see a couple of our scouts returning with a couple of Otters."

"Hello mateys!" one of the otters responded. "The Skipper sent us to look for what was going on. We'll nick back to the Holt and see who we can get spared to look for the missing ones… though I think the Skipper will spare quite a few."

"Ahh… well, it is good to know our friends the Skipper is alright. Now to just find out if Lady Amber is…" the Abbess said, only to nearly be bowled over by Cullum, who had seen the otters.

"Goodness to honest otters! I finally get to meet some," Cullum commented. "Oh… pardon me… but as a member of the Abbey, may I get you something to drink to dry your thirst from traveling on weary paws."

This caused both otters to raise their eyebrow at the young hog. They both laughed and the second spoke up. "Only if the Abbes agrees matey… we really need to be getting back to our Holt to gather what help we can to look for the missing."

Cullum's eyes went wide. "Ahh… yes, yes… let me at least get you some to take with you! And some to share with the rest. I am sure there were some old flasks that I can use."

As the young hog hurried off, the first otter commented. "He's rather exuberant… I don't recognize him as being one of ours from the past."

"No…" Bella commented. "The young hog is… well, he is part of the few members of the Abbey that were left from this time. Apparently, us coming is a miracle for the Abbey."

"Yet that seems all to simple," the second said, shaking his head. Cullum came scurrying back with a half dozen flasks for each to carry back to the Holt and a couple of pouches of something. The Otter took the pouch, not opening it. "What is this matey?"

"Hot root, for hot root soup," Cullum commented.

"Aye," the first said, opening it. "Good old 'ot root. The Skipper will be glad of this, though we're out of other ingredients. We'll see you later Abbess."

The Abbess, Bella and Cullum then bid good day to the two otter scouts and the two scouts that were going back with them.


	9. Acorns!

**Acorns!  
**_**(Or Nuts!)**_

Timballisto was expecting, with his luck, to see someone who was going to hand him over to the village before, but instead he saw a familiar face. He whispered so that none below could hear him. "Amber squirrel queen?"

"Yes, it's me," Amber said, whispering back. "I've been watching for some time now… my squirrels are elsewhere, so we had better make this look good, had we not?"

Timballisto nodded his head, not sure what plan the older one had. The mouse called up to them. "Good day to you squirrel… would you please bring the young scamp down?"

"Why should I?" Amber asked, lifting T.B. off the branch. "Tell me one good reason why I should help you?"

"Look… tree climber… I know that we mice don't tend to get along with you, but really, that young one needs to come down to the ground before he gets hurt," the mouse said. Timballisto wriggled a bit and grabbed acorns from the tree, something that Amber hadn't expected him to do and began to chunk them at the mice.

"Hey…" Amber said to him, raising an eyebrow. 'I expected you to be able to use more common sense then this…"

"I am not going with them, I am not, I am not!" T.B. commented, anger in his voice.

"Did you always have a temper like this as a Dibbun," she asked, suddenly surprised by his response.

"I learned from Martin… I think!" T.B. stated. He then mumbled under his breath and stopped struggling. "See… Martin got frustrated a lot. I was actually the one who lost my temper with him."

"T.B.!' Amber said, shaking her head. She then glanced down at the mouse. She then spoke so that the beast below could hear. "I don't think my friend here would like to go with you."

"I wonder exactly why a pretty squirrel maid would be calling herself a friend of a mouse," came a sudden voice in her ear, causing Amber to spin and nearly drop Timballisto.

The squirrel queen glared at the one she considered important to call her, of all things a squirrel maid. The male squirrel was right in her face, which made her leap to another branch to get away from him, only to crash into another one, which made her angry. The male squirrel who had spoken in her grinned mischievously.

"My name is Damwin," the squirrel said, making sure those below could hear him. "You're a stranger to these parts. I know for a fact that I can recognize all the female squirrels from Mosstown and around."

"Ohh… let me guess, your one of those charming gentleman who tries to sweep the females off her feet?" Amber snarled at him, glaring as she did so. "Well, I am not one to be charmed by such guffaw! Not with the tragedies I've seen… or do you take me for a moron."

"What's this about me taking you for a moron?" the squirrel asked, lowering his eyebrows. "I never said that."

"Fine… you took me for a damsel in distress," Amber said, setting T.B up in a tree limb where he could easily reach more acorns.

"Well… aren't you?" the squirrel said, only to have her lunge at him to knock him senseless, yelling the name of the abbey as she did so.

"Ohh… I wouldn't have said that if I were you!" T.B. said, chucking acorns at the other squirrel. "See, Amber squirrel queen is a warrior and isn't someone to mess around with! Calling her a damsel in distress… hah! She fought against Greeneyes army as did I! Redwall!

The mouse called up from below. "If this is some tactic of the Abbey to keep it from becoming part of the town, it _won't _work!"

"Burr aye, aye thinking they actually be Abbey beasts…" muttered a molemum, coming up, having scooped Dinny who was waving a claw at the whole scene and wanting to fight too.

"Who asked you?! Moles have no common sense! The Abbey only has those elders there!"

The molemum just shook her head and muttered something about a young hedgehog also being there, to which a hedgehog snapped at her. "My son would never have gone to that Abbey place ever! I taught him right that they believed in a bunch of superstitious nonsense!"

Soon, those below them were quarreling about the whole situation of what had happened to the young hog. No one really knew, except the moles, which just shook their heads at all the nonsense. Timballisto was about to throw another handful of acorns when he was yanked up from behind by another squirrel.

"T.B.!" Amber said, not happy that her mission wasn't going as successful as it was supposed to. Because she was distracted three more squirrels were able to pull her off the squirrel Damwin, who was nursing a cut lip.

"Sheesh… if I had known you could fight… I wouldn't have said what I did… apologies for not fighting back…" the squirrel commented, a glint of mischief still in his eye. "See… my da would have skinned me alive if I had hit you, for though a warrior you be, you're still a lady."

"Warrior!" one of the squirrels commented, holding onto Amber tighter. "As if a female could be a warrior."

"And this scrap is nothing more then a Dibbun!" the one holding T.B. chortled. This caused Timballisto to suddenly twist around in his tunic and bite full force on the squirrel's paw, causing him to let go. Unfortunately, this was a bad thing, as the mouse found himself falling towards the ground.

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Author's note – Ha! A cliff hanger! Hee! Anyways… good news about the anon. spammer… I was spammed again and he was only able to do one hundred-fifty. Someone else was spammed too, I won't mention their name… but, if you see someone spammed, don't review their fanfic! I think that the spamming stops after so many anon. reviews after a non-anon review. Pass the word on!


	10. Long Patrol

**Long Patrol**

Lord Boar was happy to see that his hares had been able to find at least some willing recruits for the reestablishment of the Long Patrol, though it wasn't many and the ones there were basically raw talent in comparison to his other fine hares. But he wasn't one to argue the point. When one was brought back to life, one took what one got, whether or not one likes it or not.

And these young hares were full of life and had actually heard of the tales of the Long Patrol. The thing was… what the badger lord needed was some stiff warriors, what with the problems he saw lurking ahead. He had yet to see any of the ones who would come to aid them against the slaver fox he had seen in his vision, but then some he would not meet until they moved towards battle.

There was one that he was looking forward to meeting, actually two. Both of which he had planned on training to be at least capable of defending themselves, for at this point they couldn't defend themselves at all… at least they believed that they didn't. There was another that he wanted to parry with, but that would have to wait, from what his visions had told him.

Also, that one that he wished to spar with… there was trouble brewing in the heart. It wasn't an evil thing brewing there, but the badger lord knew that the pains of the past weren't quite healed for that one. But then again, a good deal of those he could think of weren't fully healed in the heart… the halls of the Dark Forest couldn't always do that for one. It would be interesting to hear how all these things played out.

"Stand to attention!" Boar shouted, causing the two dozen new recruits to snap to attention. Well, make that two bakers dozen, as there were two who were goofing off, but two dozen had stood erect. He marched over to the two mischievous hares that were purposely slouching and giving him funny looks. He then got close to them and yelled loudly. "I said stand to attention!"

The two young hares snapped to attention and Boar shook his head. "Might I ask why you think this is funny on the very first day?"

"Well, see every Long Patrol contingent has had at least one hare who cracked jokes and was also a perilous warrior… we figured we'd make two," the hare commented, his ear twitching from the blast.

"No, your right… I don't see," the badger lord commented.

"Sah… you really don't. What with that glum face, we figured you be needen a good deal of cheering up, wot wot!" the second hare commented.

"Well… I hope you learn to know when it is appropriate to joke and when not to. You two have kitchen duty while the others are shown their barracks."

The two young hares saluted and when they were dismissed, hurried away. The kitchen involved the punishment of scrubbing the pots and pans, but also getting to sample the food, which to the hare was a treat. Boar shook his head though, as the two had been right. He was down and worried about something. This was something that he was greatly worried about.

Lupin suddenly came in, shaking her head with mirth. "I can't believe that you sent me those two rap scallions sah!"

"Why, they eating all the supplies," Boar joked. 'Or did you set them to scowering pots and pans."

"No… those two ran amiss of the triplets and thought that they should now be their own set of triplets and are off looking for a third… among the females that happen into the mess hall," she said.

"Are you sure they aren't flirting?" he asked.

"Considering that the females they have the guts to go up to, sah, are the ones that are older then them, I think not, wot… they turned tongue tied when one the one young female we have that is younger then them asked about the lunch menu," she said. "Sah… you won't believe this, but they asked me if I wanted to be their triplet."

"I can believe it," Boar said, finally getting to laugh. "Have we had any news from Buffheart yet?"

"No sah, we haven't," she said shaking her head. "And to think, it seems so peaceful. If I see a vermin scum, I'll jolly well tan their hides!"

"Well… I would hold off on that," Lord Boar stated. "I have my reasons for this one."

"Reasons sah, I bloody well want to fight sah!" the hare commented. "And beside you to sah, as does my husband. If you rightly recall sah, you left us out of that one battle for good reasons… however, those reasons aren't here yet."

"Ahh… loyal to the end, both of you!" Boar said, laughing. He then got a wise look in his eyes. "Say, Lupin… you raised to little ones of your own… how would you take care of an infant that wasn't with it's mother?"

"Is this a very important matter?" the hare asked.

"I am afraid it is… I don't want to explain it to you lest you get excited. I can tell you though that we may have a guest coming to the fortress who may be in need of whatever you can do,"

"Dandelion milk… I'll get some of the young hares to gather it," Lupin said, a glint in her eyes. "I love little ones… even more then fighting, I do."

"I know that… and be sure not to mention this to anyone," the badger lord commented.

"I know sah… oh, and everyone is trying to find out how a great lord as yourself and the rest of us have come back."

This caused him to laugh again. "I guess I didn't have to prompt this investigation, did I?"

"Nope… but knowing you, you already know and will tell us when your good and ready," the hare said, darting off.

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Author's note – About Timballisto, his name was shortened to T.B. in both Mossflower and Legend of Luke. I believe that the nickname was coined after he became free, not before. The first time he was called that, he was worried that Martin would live or die.

_Also, thanks to the person for pointing out the 'flavor text' I missed. It was my first time doing hare speech and I was trying not to overdue it, but I did add a little flavor to it! :)_


	11. Buffheart's Find

**Buffheart's Find**

The hare was standing on the beach, his ear twitching as he watched the boat sail in. This was what Lord Boar told him to find, the boat sailing into the shore from the sea. So he waited as those coming in made their slow way about it. Obviously they were very weary. He would have gone and swam out, but Boar said to save his strength and only help if they needed it. That way if trouble sprung up, there would be no problem at all.

His nose twitched as he watched the sun setting into the horizon. He hoped that they would hurry, as this was toad country and they had a ways to go to get back to the mountain fortress. That was probably why the badger had told him to save his strength, or one of them. They would need someone to stay guard while they slept. He quickly glanced around to make sure there were no enemies around.

When he looked back, the fur on his back rose up, as what he saw in the boat dismayed him. For in the boat was a vixen fox, a type of vermin that could rarely be trusted, but then again, when a vermin could be trusted in these parts, well that was rare. In his life time he had met none that he could trust. With this vixen though, a clue sprung from her companion about whether or not she could be trusted.

For wit her was a bank vole, a young one at that who was also toiling away at rowing. Either she had a good heart, or she was using him long enough to get to land. It wouldn't be much effort, as the young vole was one who was chained and fettered forepaw to forepaw. This caused the hare to shake his head, remembering the tales that the triplets had brought to them at Salamandastron of the freed slaves.

The boat clicked ashore and the vixen stood up, not offering to give the bank vole a hand, which made Buffheart frown. She instead leaned over the boat, as if messing with something. The bank vole was in need of assistance, so the hare hurried over and helped him. It was then that he caught an eye of what the vixen was messing with.

"Why is it that you have a flippin mouse babe?" he asked, glaring at her.

"My family works for a certain person and I used to work for this person. He commanded my mother to summon him the power of the red walled structure in the woods," the vixen commented, positioning the babe carefully in her arms.

"That would be Redwall Abbey," the bank vole commented. "It's my fault because I told that person about the Abbey's sword and it's power."

"That sword of the abbey wasn't where it got it's power from," Buffheart commented. "It was just a special kind of metal from space, making it so it is not breakable. That is it…wot wot"

"And how would you know?" the bank vole snapped, irritated with the hare.

"Shush! Don't yell!" the vixen says. "He is such an odd tyke… not crying."

"No… that would be Martin for you… he is a rather odd one… but then, from what I gathered in the Dark Forest from Boar the Fighter… our Martin was the only warrior listed among the badger lords who wasn't a badger… and that has to be something, as he is a mouse."

"Hold on… are you saying… both you and he are supposed to be dead?" the vixen asked, quite confused.

"Yes… we're supposed to be dead, along with one badger and at least seven other hares… not counting those we don't know whether or not have been brought back," the hare commented.

"Ghost!" the bank vole said, ducking behind the vixen and cowering, grabbing onto her clothing in fear.

"Look! I am not a ghost! Martin… he was and always has been Redwall Abbey's great strength! Not that blasted sword! A sword is only as effective as the wielder and can be used for both good and evil," the hare said.

The vixen suddenly curtsied. "My name is Suna... this infant… I don't know much, but it can't possibly last long without nourishment."

Buffheart nodded to the bank vole. "I saw some plants over yonder, come with me… it won't be the best thing, but it will have to do for now."

Both walked over to the place, the bank vole shivering. Buffheart shook his head. "I really am not a ghost… if we were, Martin wouldn't be an infant like he is… and believe me… he of all people knows how to play ghost, though few of our time actually know and understand this."

"But still… did you know he would be like that?" the bank vole asked.

"No… my name is Buffheart by the way," the hare said. "If I had, I would have brought something to help him… but Boar wasn't specific… more of rushed, plus… not much time to prepare anything."

"So you have no food?" the bank vole asked.

"Don't worry… I can scrounge up some stuff… what is your name, jolly old chap?" the hare asked.

"Gullihan,"

"Well, Gullihan… what do you think of our vixen friend… or is she a foe?" the hare asked.

"I don't trust vermin, but… she has been taking good care of the mouse babe, but only because she thinks he's special… and now… it is proven he is… you sure your not pulling my tail… I mean… Martin the Warrior… as a baby. Everyone would laugh at me if I told them that."

"Possibly," the hare said. "Look… you two will rest for awhile… then we'll head for Salamandastron."

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Author's note – Alright… there is something odd that I want to put a twist into for this AU, though it can't come into play until much later. I would like impute from people. Please see my Redwall forum and the sticky poll. It would help immensely! On a side note, thank you to everyone who guessed by this chapter that the babe is Martin! Not many people guess my little quirks!


	12. Free Falling

_Author's note – For the place that Timballisto is called T.B., for those who are looking for it, go to chapter forty-nine, there are five times that he is mentioned as 'T.B.' and not his full name. I had to go get the copy from my college library because mine's lying around in some nook and cranny in the house._

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**Free Falling**

As soon as Timballisto had bitten down on the squirrel he knew he was in huge trouble as he felt himself being let go. He thought about how his mind wasn't doing things like they normally should. As he was falling, his life didn't flash through his mind. Of course, he had already been dead.

Instead he saw Amber the squirrel queen staring at him, quite upset that she couldn't get lose from the three who were holding her still. The next thing he knew he saw a reddish-brown blur streaking down and moving towards him. He knew that he had landed next, but he hadn't landed on the hard ground, but instead had landed on somebody.

"Sheesh, mouseling, you sure are a lot of trouble,' a voice said, sounding like they were in pain. Who ever had him let Timballisto be taken into the arms of one of the mousewives. Thus he ended up getting turned around and seeing the brown-red squirrel that had been harassing Amber.

"Thank you Danwin… though your behavior has yet again caused more problems then it is worth," the mouse commented, shaking his head. This mouse then turned to Timballisto. "Now… will you go nicely or will we have to do something to make you go?"

"If I hadn't landed the way I did, I wouldn't have let you have the tyke!" Danwin suddenly snapped, causing all eyes turn on him. He glared at the mouse, holding his arm and not moving it where the shoulder was.

"Does this have to do with your injured pride or your injured body," the mouse chided him. "I mean… I can't say that helping us as mice can put you in much favor of your father.

"Good riddance!" Danwin commented. "Listen to me carefully. It is obvious that those two know each other… let them go together. Or should I tell them about how you and …"

"Enough you wiper snapper! I don't need your arrogance!" the mouse said. "Take the Dibbun to the orphanage now!"

"I'm not a Dibbun! I'm not! I'm not! I'm not! My name is Timballisto, named after Timballistos!" the mouse said wriggling hard to get out. Some of the townsfolk who were his age body wise were giggling uproariously.

"Isn't that supposed to be … your name is Timballisto… named after ballistas?" Danwin commented, shaking his head. This caused Timballisto's cheeks to turn red from embarrassment at messing up his own name.

It was then that they heard a very angry she squirrel suddenly kicking and hissing, trying even harder to break lose. "You leave T.B. be!"

"Yes… mateys… I suggest you do," a cloaked figure stepped out of the shadows, as did a few others. Also, springing alive in the trees came some squirrels, pointing their arrows at the ones who kept Amber held.

"Oi! You morons! You aim at vermin, not goodbeasts!" Amber snapped at them though, causing them to withdraw their bows, not to mention some slings.

"Let her go," Danwin commented, shaking his head. The three squirrels suddenly let go of her and she pulled away. The cloaked figure came up and clasped a hand on Danwin's hurt shoulder. "Hey! That hurts!"

"Well, that's what you get for leaping out of a tree so un-squirrel like," the cloaked person teased. "If you have no one to fix up your shoulder, head to the Abbey… Abbess Germaine will be willing to fix you up.

"Is this more tricks?" the mouse asked. "I mean, that there are so many beasts come back to life that…"

"Shut up!" snapped the cloaked figure, pulling back it's hood to reveal the Skipper underneath. Most of the real Dibbuns squeaked at seeing a real otter in front of them. He then scooped Timballisto from the arms of the mousewife. "Matey, sorry that I was late."

"Skipper, they might have Martin!" Timballisto said, suddenly struggling, only to get thunked on the head by the otter.

"Good grief T.B…" the otter said, shaking his head. "Be glad the Abbess sent us word to look for you… and what can you do in this state, huh? Youch!"

Skipper, suddenly spun around to see a pack of Dibbun's behind him. The one responsible for pulling his tail commented, "See, I told you, he's a real otter!"

"Yes… I am…" the Skipper said, only to have Amber scurry over to the mouse mayor.

The angry squirrel stuck a finger between his eyes. "Here's the deal. You had better not have any of ours in with yours… we will come back and discuss this, do you hear me, and you had better be willing to give them up. Well, have you found any others of ours?"

"N…n…no," the mouse stammered.

Amber then clapped an arm around Skipper. "How exactly did you find us?"

"Abbess Germaine told us we were looking for some of our mateys the size of Dibbuns," Skipper said. "I was worried about Gonff and Martin… they would be infants now, so gathered the whole crew that could travel."

The molemum who had Dinny hurried up and handed him to Skipper, startling him. "Burr, this 'ere one be yours."

"Why… thank you marm," the Skipper said, startled. "At least some beasts around here know some manners. I'll leave the rest of you to chew on that for awhile!"


	13. Salamandastron

**Salamandastron**

Gullihan was just like all bank voles, at least who they were stereotyped to be, Buffheart quickly decided. The vole was one to complain about everything, but then again, if Buffheart had been the bank vole, he would have been complaining too. The thing was… Buffheart wasn't in the bank vole, so the goodbeast was getting on his nerves.

The first thing that happened was that Buffheart had gone and let the vixen Suna carry all the supplies, much to the ire of one Gullihan. He said it was one thing for her to take the infant, but quite another for her to carry the supplies, when in truth they really couldn't trust her. Gullihan didn't want to tell him that the true trust test was waiting, that of a badger lord and whether or not he would let him into the mountain.

So away they marched down the hot sands, hopping to make the mountain before to long, because the sun was beating down upon them, making them all hot and sticky with the sweat. Not only this was complained about, but so was the fact that the sun was beating down upon them and the wind was a very dry one.

This concerned Buffheart somewhat, not so much that Gullihan didn't complain, but the fact that the mouse babe, Martin, concerned him. Yes, Martin had always been a quite fellow even when he had first met him when he had come to Salamandastron. But even an infant knew to complain about the harshness of the journey. Yet there was no crying from the little bundle. He hoped that the vixen hadn't done anything to him.

They kept walking on and on, the sun burning down upon their skulled, causing the skin below their fur to blister. But they soon came to the mountain's base, with it soon towering above them. The vixen glanced up at the immense structure. "Sights behold… what a structure."

"Eulalia!" The hare yelled as loud as he could.

A couple of hares peered out of the window, slingshots in the paws. "I say sah, wots ya doin' bringing a picklin' vermin here, wot wot?"

"I bring…" Buffheart said, only to feel a cachunk on his forehead as a stone hit it, knocking him out cold.

"Help! Help!" the bank vole yelled, grabbing Buffheart and dragging him to cover. "Hurry, you vermin scum! Before they kill you and the babe!"

"Let me handle this!" she hissed at them. She then held out the mousebabe. "You see this… I have a hostage… I would like to talk to whoever is in charge… now!"

"Wot is she doing?" Buffheart said, raising his head, then clapping a paw to a spot where the stone had hit. "Good heavens… we've got some pretty good new recruits, jolly old chaps!"

"She… she… she said she's … she's going to eat the mousebabe!" the bank vole said, suddenly springing from cover and rushing at her and tackling her.

Suna fell to a sitting position and glared at him. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Saving the mousebabe from the likes of you!" he said, snatching Martin away and running back to Buffheart, only to trip. Buffheart sat up quickly and took the infant from his arms as the bank vole buried his nose deep in the sand.

A face appeared at the window that the two hares had been at, though they could still be heard. "See sah! It be a bloomin foxy vermin type!"

"And did I give the two of you permission to assault our guests?" said the badger lord. "May I ask where the mouse babe is?"

"Over there…" she said, shrugging her shoulders. "Someone thought I was going to eat him."

"And why would that be?" the badger lord asked.

"Because, I used a trick on those to rapscallions to make them think I might harm the babe, which I wouldn't, so that they would stop slinging stones. Obviously they have no common sense if they've hit one of their own," she said, glaring at the two hares, whom looked ready to fight her.

"Sah… she has a point!" Buffheart called out. "Hand them over to me and I'll teach them the meaning of hitting a senior officer in the long patrol over the head!"

"Ahh… I see you've succeeded in you're mission. Congratulations are in order Buffheart,"

"Just let me at the scoff sah!" the hare said.

"Hold on a blooming flippin second," the first hare said, frowning at the badger lord.

"His mission was to bring _back _a vermin!" the other said.

"If you can call her vermin, then yes. His mission was to bring back a vixen vermin, a bumbling bank vole and a useless infant. Mission defiantly accomplished," the badger lord said grinning ear to ear.

"Why do I suddenly not feel that it is an important mission," Buffheart said, shaking his head at his companions. "I feel degraded sah!"

"If you've figured out who the infant is, you'll know that once he's older, he won't be useless. Nor will those two be. They have great destinies, as do we all,"

"Come along lady vixen… we must head to where we can climb up," the hare nodded and they went through a crack in the wall. A ladder was thrown down and they were all bade to climb up.

"Hells and fur teeth… a vixen fox," a hare said, glowering at Suna., causing her to feel comfortable.

"Stop! This vixen is no enemy… very rarely have those of species known to be vermin have actually crossed the line to be a goodbeast, but there are such beasts!" the badger lord said. "I am Lord Boar the fighter."

Buffheart then introduced them and Suna curtsied while the bank vole just gaped in awe. "Now, where are those two bally nuisances who decided to cream my noggin."

"Over there…" the badger lord said, indicating to the two hares who were looking about sheepishly, as if they hadn't done anything. Buffheart stepped forward to give them a stern talking to, when he suddenly felt himself hugged tightly.

"Love! You're home!" said the female hare.

"Hello Lupin, I am glad to see you again marm," he said. She glared at him and was about to hit him with her ladle when she saw the lump on his head.

"How did that get there," she asked. He glanced over to where the two hares were standing and she turned on them and began to chase them around the hall. "How dare you clobber my husband on the head!"

Laughter came from everyone, including Suna.


End file.
